Texans report: Jeff Allen, Tony Bergstrom added to offensive line

Jeff Allen (71) should step in for the departed Brandon Brooks at guard after spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Chiefs.

Photo: Jonathan Bachman, FRE

The Texans' offensive line underwent a dramatic overhaul Wednesday as they lost starting offensive guard Brandon Brooks and center Ben Jones in free agency.

The Texans swiftly replaced the two veteran linemen with former Kansas City Chiefs guard Jeff Allen and former Oakland Raiders center Tony Bergstrom

Allen is a gritty blocker with a reputation for playing through injuries and finishing off defensive linemen with a punishing approach. A former Illinois standout, Allen has positional versatility, having also lined up at tackle for Kansas City.

Allen, 26, signed a four-year, $28 million contract that included a $14 million payout in the first year as the replacement at right guard for Brooks, a former third-round pick who signed a five-year, $40 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Texans lost Jones to the AFC South rival Tennessee Titans on a four-year, $17.5 million deal.

Bergstrom signed a two-year contract and is the top candidate to replace Jones. The 6-5, 313-pounder played in nine games last season, starting three times. The Texans may have Bergstrom compete with other linemen for the starting job.

Bergstrom, 29, is a former third-round draft pick who has also played guard for the Raiders.

Hoyer could be

trading chip

Now that the Texans have landed Brock Osweiler as their new starting quarterback on a blockbuster four-year, $72 million deal, they have a looming decision that could involve potential trade scenarios for former starter Brian Hoyer

Hoyer remains under contract as he enters the second year of a $10.5 million contract and is due a non-guaranteed $4 million base salary this season.

Hoyer, 30, could become a bargaining chip for a draft pick for a team that currently owns seven picks heading into the April draft. Several teams would be interested in acquiring Hoyer should he become available, according to NFL sources not authorized to speak publicly.

Should the Texans trade Hoyer, they could go with Tom Savage as the primary backup to Osweiler.

Hoyer has displayed the kind of personality and team-oriented approach in the past where he could provide the Texans with the rare commodity of a proven backup. He regained the starting job with the Texans and Cleveland Browns and never complained about being benched and was supportive of the starter in each setting.

Hoyer struggled mightily in the Texans' 30-0 AFC wild-card playoff game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs as he was intercepted four times and lost a fumble.

Hoyer also had his share of success during the regular season after winning back his starting job from Ryan Mallett and overcoming a pair of concussions. He completed 60.7 percent of his throws for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions for a 91.4 passer rating. For his career, the former backup to Tom Brady with the Patriots has passed for 7,163 yards, 38 touchdowns and 26 interceptions for an 82.2 passer rating.

"Brian is a tough guy, mentally tough, good person, good teammate," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said of Hoyer this offseason. "He's a guy who's been through a lot in his career and is a mentally tough guy."

Breaking down

Osweiler's deal

The full details are in on newly acquired Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler's four-year, $72 million contract.

The contract includes $37 million guaranteed with $12 million of that total paid out this year in a signing bonus, according to NFL Players Association figures.

The contract averages $18 million per year.

Osweiler is due a fully guaranteed base salary of $4 million this year for skill, cap and injury and a $5 million roster bonus on March 16 for a total first-year payout of $21 million.

Osweiler has a fully guaranteed base salary of $16 million in 2017 for a two-year payout of $37 million.

He has an $18 million non-guaranteed base salary in 2018 for a three-year payout of $55 million. He's due a non-guaranteed base salary of $13 million in 2219.

Osweiler is scheduled for a $4 million roster bonus in March 2019.

Comparing deals

of Allen, Brooks

According to NFL Players Association figures, new Texans offensive guard Jeff Allen received a $5 million signing bonus with $12 million guaranteed in his four-year, $28 million deal.

The deal includes a $2 million fully guaranteed base salary in 2016 and a $3 million roster bonus due this month.

In 2017, Allen has a fully guaranteed $4.75 million base salary. In 2018, he has a non-guaranteed $4.75 million base salary. In 2019, Allen has a non-guaranteed $6 million base salary.

Allen is due a $31,250 per game active roster bonus each year.

There's a $200,000 workout de-escalator clause each year for Allen.

Brandon Brooks, who left the Texans, received an $11 million signing bonus as part of $21 million total guaranteed on his five-year, $40 million deal with the Eagles.

Brooks got a $1 million base salary in 2016 that's fully guaranteed and a $5 million base salary in 2017 that's fully guaranteed.

In 2018, $4 million of his $8.5 million base salary is guaranteed for injury only at signing. That becomes fully guaranteed for skill and salary cap if he's on the roster on the fifth day of the 2018 league year.

In 2019, he's due a $7.5 million non-guaranteed base salary and a $7 million non-guaranteed base salary in 2020.

Brooks has a $250,000 Pro Bowl escalator clause in 2017, up to $500,000 Pro Bowl escalator clause in 2018, up to a $750,000 Pro Bowl escalator clause in 2019 and a $1 million Pro Bowl escalator clause in 2020.

Aaron Wilson is a Texans beat writer for the Houston Chronicle, joining the paper in August 2015. He was a Baltimore Ravens beat writer from 2001 to 2015, working for The Baltimore Sun, including coverage of Super Bowl XLVII, the Ray Rice domestic violence case and the careers of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Jonathan Ogden, and previously covered the team for the Carroll County Times and the Annapolis Capital.

This marks the second time the Washington, D.C. native has covered the AFC South, previously covering the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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